The present invention relates to an installation for the production of pressure with two or more compression chambers. The compression chambers can be arranged in one or more compressors. Each of the compression chambers has one or more switchable inlet valve(s) which can be switched over by means of a switching device from a rest position to an idling position, thereby switching the installation over from a delivery operation to an idling operation.
An installation for the production of pressure of this type with two compression chambers is known from DE 43 21 013 A1 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,537), and in particular from FIG. 2 therein. In the installation described therein, the compression chambers are located in a two-cylinder compressor. The switchable inlet valves described therein are constructed with swiveling or sliding lamellae that are known from DE 39 04 172 A1 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,857. In the rest position of the inlet valves, the valve lamellae assume a position in which the inlet valves act as check valves that are open only in the direction of the applicable compression chamber. In the idle position of the inlet valves, the valve lamellae are swiveled or displaced by means of switching devices in such mariner that the inlet valves are always open. As a result, no pressures can build up in the compression chambers, and the installation for the production of pressure switches over to an idle operation wherein there is no delivery of the pressure medium to a pressure consuming system.
The installation for the production of pressure of the type mentioned initially is used in cases where the pressure medium requirement cannot be met by a single-cylinder compressor. Among these cases, there are some where the capacity of the installation for the production of pressure cannot be utilized throughout the entire operating range of the installation for the production of pressure and/or of the pressure consuming system that the latter supplies. Such a case occurs, for example, when the at least one compressor of the installation for the production of pressure is operated at varying rotational speeds, such as, e.g., in automotive technology applications. It can occur then that at higher speeds, the delivery of the installation for the production of pressure cannot be absorbed or processed by the pressure consuming system or by its individual elements. The capacity of a drying system, for example, may be insufficient for this delivery.
It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to adapt an installation for the production of pressure of the type mentioned initially through simple means to the absorption capacity of the downstream pressure consuming system.